Thursday Thirteen #495

Today I thought I'd show you my husband's NASCAR model collection. He put these together from about 1993 - 1996, so they're more than 20 years old.

My husband is a big Ford fan so most of these are Fords. There is a Richard Petty Pontiac and a Dale Earnhardt #3 Chevrolet in there somewhere, but I think the rest of them are Fords.

There are 37 of these model cars in this curio cabinet, along with other racing memorabilia (there are 25 more in another cabinet in another part of the house):

He was a big Bill Elliot fan, so he has a couple of shelves dedicated to Bill's cars. These are the #94 McDonald's cars that Elliott drove in the 1990s.

This car is a special edition "Batman Forever" #94 along with the Bill Elliott #9 Coors car.

This is Dale Jarrett's #88 car.

After Bill Elliott stopped driving the #9 car and went to #94, Mark Martin took over the #9 car.

This is the #16 driven by Ted Musgrave and the #75 driven by Rusty Wallace.

This is the #21 McDonald's Ford driven by Jimmy Spencer (1994), and the #2 Miller car driven by Rusty Wallace.

My husband had extra glass shelving made for the cabinet and some of the cars are in these thin shelves. They're a little hard to get to, but they make a colorful display.

This is the car that my husband loved best, Bill Elliott's red #9 Coors car that won him the name "Million Dollar Bill" in the 1980s.

A closer shot of some of the other cars that I am afraid to touch for fear they will fall apart.

This the Dale Jarrett #21 Citgo car.

I wanted to give you a close-up so you can see how detailed these things are.

The #10 Tide car belonged to Ricky Rudd and the #28 belonged to Davy Allison. Allison died young in helicopter crash in 1993.

Around 1996 the model cars became hard to find and more expensive to purchase as manufacturers moved to pre-made die-cast vehicles. Two of the model car manufacturers merged and they stopped putting out the different vehicle color changes for the drivers. So my husband stopped building model cars.

It was a good hobby for him for a while, though.


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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 495th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Moonset April 10, 2017

Clouds.

Taken with a Nikon Coolpix P500 at approximately 6:25 a.m.

Saturday 9: Work from Home

Saturday 9: Work from Home (2016)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a woman who doesn't get to see her lover often enough because he's on the night shift. Have you ever worked nights?

A. Yes. When I was an active news reporter, I covered many night meetings, some of which ran long into the wee hours of the morning. Election night coverage was difficult until the paper changed its delivery date from Thursday to Wednesday; after that, we didn't have to stay at the polls to write up the results for the Thursday paper and meet the early Wednesday morning deadline.

2) She promises that if he takes the day off, she'll make it feel like a vacation. Have you traveled anywhere fun so far this year? Do you have any leisure trips planned for 2017?

A. We have not made any travel plans for 2017 nor have we been anywhere outside of the local area. We want to go inland, like to Tennessee or Kentucky or somewhere in that direction this year. Any suggestions?

3) The ladies of Fifth Harmony are enthusiastic supporters of the Girl Scouts, rewarding troops who excel in fundraising activities with free concerts. The Scouts' best-known fundraiser is their cookie sale. What's your favorite cookie (Girl Scout or otherwise)?

A. Chocolate chip. Preferably, a homemade one.

4) Fifth Harmony also participated in Goodwill's Fall Haul campaign. They encouraged high school students donate as many items as possible to Goodwill, and the winning school got a free concert. When did you last take gently-used items to a resale organization?

A. Back before the holidays, or immediately thereafter. I can't remember which.

5) Do you ever shop second-hand or thrift stores?

A. Generally I do not. I am highly allergic to molds and dust and I find those places trigger my asthma. Even Goodwill tends to smell like old musty cardboard.

6) Fifth Harmony member Normani Kordei competes on Dancing with the Stars this season. Would you do better on DWTS or The Voice? In other words, are you a better singer or dancer?

A. I am a better singer than dancer, but I do not consider myself to be someone who excels at either.

7) In February 2016, when this song was first released, The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl and Spotlight won the Best Picture Oscar. Can you recall who won the 2017 Super Bowl and Best Picture Oscar, just two months ago?

A. The Super Bowl was the Patriots and La La Land won the Oscar. I didn't look it up. How did I do? (*Ok, I went and looked. I failed the Oscar one. Moonlight apparently won that.)

8) 2016's most popular TV show was Game of Thrones. Are you a fan?

A. Oh yes. However, I do not have a favorite character as they all tend to die in that show.

9) Random Question: What's the subject line of the newest message in your email spam folder?

A. HARP Refinance Program Has Helped Millions, See If You're Eligible

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.

World Health Day 2017

Today is World Health Day, a program of the World Health Organization.

This year, the topic is depression. WHO estimates more than 300 million people have depression, an increase of more than 18% since 2005. In my opinion, this is a low estimate.

In the United States, people often lack of support for mental disorders. People who have mental health concerns often fear the stigma associated with depression or other mental concerns. This  prevents many from seeking the treatment they need to live healthy, productive lives.

Society needs to address issues of prejudice and discrimination with regards to mental illness before this issue will be properly addressed. A person who is depressed needs someone to talk to, a person to trust.

Admitting the problem is often the first step towards treatment and recovery.

Additionally, governments at all levels need to invest more in mental health support. Even in high-income countries, nearly 50% of people with depression do not get treatment. On average, just 3% of government health budgets is invested in mental health, varying from less than 1% in low-income countries to 5% in high-income countries.

Here in Virginia, we've seen how the lack of government involvement in this very serious issue adds up to bloody fatalities. In 2007, Virginia Tech lost 32 students in a mass shooting by a student known to have serious mental health issues. However, teacher concerns were not addressed.

In 2014, Virginia Senator Creigh Deeds was brutally attacked and stabbed by his own son, who then killed himself, after the young man was released because local resources could not find a safe place for him.

Those are just two incidents that readily come to mind when one thinks about depression and mental health issues today.

Treatment involves either a talking therapy or antidepressant medication or a combination of the two.  More than 90 countries, of all income levels, have introduced or scaled-up programs that provide treatment for depression and other mental disorders.

Failure to act is costly. According to a WHO-led study, which calculated treatment costs and health outcomes in 36 low-, middle- and high-income countries for the 15 years from 2016-2030, low levels of recognition and access to care for depression and another common mental disorder, anxiety, result in a global economic loss of a trillion US dollars every year. The losses are incurred by households, employers and governments. Households lose out financially when people cannot work. Employers suffer when employees become less productive and are unable to work. Governments have to pay higher health and welfare expenditures.

Additionally, there are strong links between depression and other non-communicable disorders and diseases. Depression increases the risk of substance use disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. People with these other conditions have a higher risk of depression.

Depression is also an important risk factor for suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year. It is a common mental illness characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities that people normally enjoy, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for 14 days or longer.

In addition, people with depression normally have several of the following: a loss of energy; a change in appetite; sleeping more or less; anxiety; reduced concentration; indecisiveness; restlessness; feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness; and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

If you or someone you know suffers from depression, help is available. In Virginia, Veterans may call the Veterans Crisis line 1-800-273-8255, press 1 or visit their website at www.veteranscrisisline.net/.

Others can contact a local public health office for more information. This website lists local health districts for Virginia.

You can also find additional information at the National Alliance on Mental Illness website.

Thursday Thirteen

On April 6, 1896, the first modern Olympics took place in Athens.

Here's a look at some sporting events that are no longer used in the competition:

1. Distance Plunging - Seen only in 1904, this Olympic sport required athletes to dive into the pool and coast underwater without moving their limbs. After 60 seconds, referees measured the distance the athletes had drifted.

2. Live Pigeon Shooting - Used in the 1900 games in Parish, this sport meant gun enthusiasts took aim at live moving targets. According to reports, more than 300 birds were killed at the event. After that, Olympic officials skipped lived targets.

3. Deer Cardboard Cut-Out shooting - Following the dead bird debacle in 1900, the Olympics in London in 1908 featured "running deer" as targets. However, the targets were cardboard cut-outs, not live animals.

4. Tug-of-War - This game appeared at the 1900 Olympics in Paris and remained on the roster through the 1920 games in Antwerp. An eight-man team had to pull the opposition team six feet in order to win. If neither team failed to do that, the team that pulled the other the longest distance won. The British team, which generally used London City police officers, excelled at the event.

5. Rope Climbing - This game was in the first modern Olympics in 1896. Climbers raced to th etop of the rope. This game remained on the roster until 1932.

6. Solo Synchronized Swimming - This game women debuted at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and remained on the roster through the 1992 event, even though it is hard to synchronize with one's self. After 1992 the event became a team sport for women. Men have never participated in any form of synchronized swimming in the Olympics.

7. Croquet - This sport made a one-time appearance in Paris in 1900. It is thought to be the first Olympic sport in which women participated. Only French competitors signed up for the event, and only one spectator purchased a ticket to watch the game.

8. Rogue - A cousin to croquet, this sport made the Olympic roster in 1904 in St. Louis. Only Americans played this time, and the game did not make another appearance.

9. Dueling - Pistol dueling put in an appearance in the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens. The event consisted of shooters aiming at plaster dummies instead of real people. The event only took place once.

10. Horse Long Jump - Using a horse to make a long jump took place at the Paris games of 1900. The winning leap was 6.10 meters, compared to the human leap of 8.95 meters. The game never returned. Another horse-related event, equestrian vaulting, took place in the 1920 games in Antwerp. In this sport, riders performed pirouettes, handstands and other acrobatic feats on top of a horse's back.

11. Singlestick - In this game, competitors attempted to hit one another with a club was held in one hand. The game was played in 1904 at the Summer Olympics in St. Louis.

12. Dog Sled Racing - The Olympics tested dog sled racing during the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. The event took riders over a 25.1 mile course that traversed country roads and horse paths. The event was considered a demonstration.

13. Firefighting - This event took place at the 1900 Paris Olympics in both professional and volunteer classes. The professional event was won by Kansas City Engine and Hook and Ladder Company #1. Portugal won the volunteer class.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 494th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Birds

A yard full of  . . . something. I thought they were starlings but after looking at my guide book I think they are something else. Maybe a boat tailed grackle?

 

These are photos of a northern flicker, a type of woodpecker (I think).

 

April Means Giraffe

I confess.

April the giraffe has caught my attention. I tune in once a day (sometimes more) to see her wander around her cage.

April lives at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, NY. She is 15 years old and this will be her 4th calf. She has never lost a baby.

She has been pregnant for 15 months! Yikes.

Even though she was supposed to give birth about six weeks ago, she is still carrying around her baby. This baby supposedly will be six feet tall and weigh about 150 pounds when born.

Having seen many dogs and cows give birth, and even a deer once, I have not seen signs that indicate this giraffe is going to drop her calf anytime soon. But I am not her veterinarian, who continues to assure the 150,000 people who are always watching that birth is imminent.

You can see April live at this link.

Meanwhile, I did a few still captures of her as she was trying to eat the camera (or something close to it) and then messed with them creatively (mostly because it is my understanding that once I turn them into something else I'm not violating any copyright).  I also grabbed one of her standing far away because, well, long neck and legs and all.

Giraffes are kind of cute. She has really long eyelashes, but you can't tell that in these touched up pieces.

Sunday Stealing: Cannon Fodder

Sunday Stealing: The Cannon Fodder Questions

1. Is there someone you'd like to be kissing right now?

A. I have a sinus infection. I don't think anyone wants to be kissing me right now.

2. When you're being extremely quiet, what does it mean?

A. I am generally quiet anyway, being an introvert, so I am not sure how to answer this. I suppose if I am thinking hard about something, or trying to write, I am "extremely quiet."

3. What are you listening to right now?

A. The wind. She is whistling as she wraps herself around my house and moves on.

4. Are you a big fan of thunderstorms?

A. I rather like them, yes. I have never been able to capture a good lightning bolt on camera, though I have on video. It's on my "do it" list.

5. Do you believe in perfect?

A. It is a goal, but I don't think achievable. It is one of those things that exists in the eye of the beholder, so therefore something one cannot define.

6. Are you a jealous person?

A. I hope not.

7. What was the first thing you thought this morning?

A. "I slept for seven hours straight! I can't remember when I last did that."

8. What do you think about when you are falling asleep?

A. Usually I run through my day, think about whatever I want to do the next day, then try to picture something lovely, like a meadow, and if I'm not in dreamland by then I start focusing on my breathing and counting until I do fall asleep.

9. Are you satisfied with what you have in life?

A. I am sure there are few pieces of the puzzle that are warped or waterlogged, but all in all it is good.

10. Do people ever think that you're either older or younger than you actually are?

A. I don't know. I don't ask people how old they think I am.

11. Do you think men truly understand women?

A. It depends on the man.

12. How about women understanding men?

A. It depends on the woman.

13. Did anybody ever call you handsome or beautiful?

A. My husband does. He needs glasses.

14. What is one fact about the last person that called you?

A. He is a gentle soul.

15. Other than your current one, tell us about the longest relationship you have had either a romance or a particular good friend.

A. I have been friends with Leslie for 33 years, just a few months less than I have known my husband. We worked at the same law office for two years before I stupidly left. We stayed in touch, though, by phone, mostly, and having an occasional lunch. Leslie is incredibly smart. She reads constantly, loves dogs, and takes care of her mother. She has been a good friend to me, listening to me whine and encouraging me as I have careened like a pinball from one life event to another.

Saturday 9: Polka

Too Fat Polka (1947)

Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) Have you ever danced the polka?

A. Can't say that I have. I wouldn't even know where to start.

2) The centerpiece of a traditional Polish polka band is the accordion. The accordion is a substantial instrument. Have you ever tried to play it?

A. I confess I used to play one, a very long time ago. I never played it very well, but I could manage a tune or two. (At one time I could play almost any instrument I picked up, back in the day.) They are heavy and require a bit of coordination to get the wind in and out properly so the sound flows.

3) The plump lady of this song cannot fit into the singer's car. How many passengers does your car comfortably seat?

A. Four comfortably. But you could do five in the front and probably stuff a couple in the trunk. It has a big trunk.

4) Would you like to lose a few pounds?

A. Yes.

5) In the long ago 1940s, this song was considered amusing. Do you think it's still funny today?

A. No.

6) Arthur Godfrey, who recorded this song, was a popular radio and TV host from the 1930s to the 1970s. Before this week's Saturday 9, had you ever heard of him?

A. Yes.

7) One of his more popular radio shows was Talent Scouts. A 1940s-50s version of American Idol, this show gave previously unknown singers their first national exposure. Godfrey could point with pride to having helped discover Tony Bennett and Patsy Cline, but he made a mistake by rejecting Elvis Presley. Tell us about something you'd do differently if you could get a "do over."

A. Go to college right out of high school.

8) In 1953, Godfrey made news by having one of the nation's very first hip replacements. Have you ever been/would you be part of a clinical trial, either for a new drug or a new medical procedure?

A. I was part of a clinical trial back in the 1990s. I was in the "control group" in a test that had to do with testing urine for pregnancy and certain types of pregnancy issues that could show up that way. I'd had a hysterectomy at the age of 29, so I wasn't going to have a baby and couldn't mess up the control numbers. I think I was paid $5 per pee bottle or something like that.

9) RANDOM QUESTION: You and a friend are shopping. She tries on an expensive sweater and enthusiastically asks what you think. You think it looks awful. Do you tell her the truth?

A. I would say, "Well, you could go with that, but what about this one here? It has this blue/green/orange that really flatters your hair/eyes/whatever. And feel how soft/warm/cozy it is." :::holding it up::: "Why don't you try this one on too, before you decide?"

And if pushed for more of an answer, I would say, "It's really not my style, but you know yourself best." Or something.

So I guess no, I wouldn't tell her the truth. Everyone has her own taste.

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I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.